Trust launches powerful e-scooter safety video

Homelessness organisation Derventio Housing Trust has launched a hard-hitting safety video following a serious house fire at one of its properties.

The housing trust has commissioned the video to warn residents of the extreme fire risks posed by electric vehicles when they are plugged in to charge.

Leaders at Derventio said they wanted to make the video to explain to residents why electric scooters and e-bikes are banned in all its properties.

In July last year a resident living in a Derventio Housing Trust property in Swindon caused a serious fire after plugging in an e-scooter to charge which then burst into flames. The fire quickly took control and residents had to flee for safety. Fortunately, no-one was hurt.

Derventio Housing Trust managing director Sarah Hernandez said: “We felt it was important to make it clear to residents why electric scooters and e-bikes are strictly not allowed in any of our properties.

“They are a serious fire risk and that was unfortunately proved last year in one of our houses in Swindon. No-one was injured in that fire, but they could have been. We have created this video to make it clear to residents just how dangerous these vehicles are.”

Derventio Housing Trust secured a grant from the Electrical Safety Fund to make the video.  To create the campaign they commissioned Derbyshire behaviour change marketing company MacMartin, which worked with ’AV IT Media on the shoot.

The Electrical Safety Fund has praised the “impactful” video which effectively brings home a hard-hitting message.

Derventio will be showing the film to all residents and it will form part of its onboarding procedure for people who are coming to live in one of its properties for the first time.

Anna Hutton, director of communications and behaviour change at MacMartin, said: “It became very clear during our research how e-scooter and e-bike batteries pose a serious risk to householders’ welfare, and we believe our hard-hitting campaign really brings the safety message home.”

Mark Averill from ’AV IT Media said: “We were really happy with how the video turned out and delighted to be involved. I hope it does a good job for Derventio Housing Trust in conveying how serious these fires are